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Particles detected last year

IAEA: Weapons grade uranium traces found in Egypt

UN nuclear watchdog agency confirms inspectors have found traces of military-grade enriched uranium northeast of Cairo. Investigation ongoing, agency believes particles may have come into country on containers holding radio isotopes

The UN nuclear watchdog agency says its inspectors have found traces of weapons-grade uranium in Egypt.

 

A restricted report from the International Atomic Energy Agency says the particles were detected last year and in 2007, and remain under investigation.

 

A senior diplomat who demands anonymity for commenting on restricted information said Wednesday it's the first time the agency has reported these findings.

 

The report also says the highly enriched uranium particles were found alongside traces of low-enriched uranium particles. Both were detected at the Inshas site, northeast of Cairo, where Egypt's two small research reactors are located.

 

The document said Egypt believes the particles could have come into the country on containers containing radio isotopes.

 

The report comes less than a day after a senior US official said Israel, India and Pakistan should join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. US Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller declined to say whether Washington would take any new steps to press Israel to join the treaty and give up any nuclear weapons it has. She made no mention of Iran.

 

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak hinted two years ago that if Iran were to pursue nuclear arms, Cairo too would follow suit. Until now Egypt has only worked towards developing nuclear power for peaceful purposes.

 

Both the president and his son, Jamal Mubarak, are advocates of nuclear power, saying that it may help Egypt overcome its lack of natural energy resources.

 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said his country is committed to helping Egypt harness the power of nuclear energy for civilian purposes.

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.06.09, 17:25
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